Football seems to lend itself to exotic, crazy, zany nicknames. He was considered the Bears most intimidating player. That attention to detail caught the eyes of the Detroit Lions, who hired Gentry in 2001 as a scout. Here was the NFL's youngest group, coached by a team legend, that happened to have the greatest defense that football had ever seen up to that point. In the Super Bowl XX preview, the Bears defense was able to find their groove by forcing 4 turnovers on New England, and allowing them to only score a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Do you have a blog? Voices", "NFL Videos: Leslie Frazier hired as Vikings head coach", "Ron Rivera hired as new Washington Redskins coach", "CU fires Dan Hawkins; Brian Cabral named interim football coach", "Jeff Fisher to coach St. Louis Rams next season ESPN", "Super Bowl XX champion Bears still beloved", 1985 Chicago Bears Season at www.bearshistory.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1985_Chicago_Bears_season&oldid=1151739154. But Ryan loved his players and it showed during a meeting on Saturday night before the Super Bowl. - Dick Chapura: Tank. With Mike Ditka at the helm and Buddy Ryan as the defensive coordinator, the Bears were set up to have one of the greatest runs on the defensive side of the ball, ever. Dan Hampton is regally referred to as ''the King,'' and second-year defensive end Trace Armstrong has been tagged ''the Man Who Would Be King'' by linebacker coach Dave McGinnis. He still walks with a limp. One of the least-recognized but hardest-working members of the organization, Earley commonly put in 90 to 100 hours per week during the season attending to the players' various equipment needs. Two plays later, Bears fullback Matt Suhey scored on an 11-yard touchdown run to increase the lead to 133. Here is a rundown on the Bear players and their pet nicknames: - Mike Singletary: Samurai. He is the originator of the "Dooley Shift," which since has become more commonly known as the nickel defense. Since retiring, Phillips has worked as a real estate agent and investor and also owns Home Court Properties (formerly Reggie Phillips Properties) in his native Houston. [23] Mike Singletary said in America's Game: 1985 Chicago Bears:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. A few of them were just fun and creative while being more of a reflection of the fan base than of the actual unit. After both teams traded punts, Richard Dent and linebacker Wilber Marshall shared a sack on Eason, forcing a fumble that lineman Dan Hampton recovered on the Patriots 13-yard line. He lives with his family in Nebraska City, Neb., where he is a successful real estate developer and home builder. Green Bay's Mark Lee and Ken Stills intensified the game after Lee sent Payton over a bench and Stills leveled Matt Suhey. When McCaskey was finally able to implement "his guys" after Ditka was fired in 1992, the Bears stumbled for the remainder of the decade, eventually leading to many of McCaskey's organizational powers being taken away. The Bears had absolutely dominated New England in the first half, holding them to 21 offensive plays (only 4 of which resulted in positive yardage), 19 total offensive yards, 2 pass completions, 1 first down, and 3 points. [35] Coupled with a solid backfield anchored by safeties Gary Fencik (FS) and Dave Duerson (22), and a defensive line that included future Hall of Famers Richard Dent (#95) and Dan "Danimal" Hampton (#99), along with the gritty Steve McMichael (#76) and breakout media superstar rookie, William "The Refrigerator" Perry (#72), the Bears were famous (or infamous) for getting to the quarterback early and often and completely disrupting their opponent's offensive game plans. Since retiring following the 1994 season, Bortz has lived in the north suburbs and spends much of his time with his family, making public appearances and also farming. This led to a strained relationship. The brains of the operation was Joe Klecko, who earned Pro Bowl selections at four different positions. Just start with all of the nicknames. "That's what the '85 Bears had." ROAD TO SUPER BOWL 50: A Colts fan on why Indy is pulling for Peyton Even in the '80s, the golden age of sports nicknames, it's hard to remember a team with. ", The evolution and history of the Nike AF-1, The heaviest punchers in boxing history!, The only list youll need to get started or get back into Tennis, Get moving, feel healthier and feel better, The 5 most successful sportspeople ever, Player was the worlds most travelled athlete, and pretty good at golf too, "The Pro Kabaddi league has almost 200 million viewers in 100 countries", His time at Inter was destroyed by injuries, We are interested in all sports, no matter how obscure. In the 85 season, Wilson had 10.5 sacks. Obama noted that the only loss the 1985 Bears had was to the Dolphins. He has a coaching record of 136-110 and is 5-6 in postseason play, including a loss to the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV. The Punky QB. After five years in the NFL -- three with the Bears (1984-86) and the last two with Denver -- Humphries remained in the Mile High City to attend medical school at the University of Colorado-Denver, followed by a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The '82 unit, a group that included Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby and Mark May, powered an offense that featured ageless fullback John Riggins. Upon retiring as a player, he spent two seasons at Purdue as linebackers coach (1987-88). From 1982-1992 the Bears won six NFC Central titles, had dozens of all All-Pro selections and even more Pro Bowl appearances. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. He played with Chicago through 1986 before ending his career with a brief stint with the Redskins in 1987. The team also had 4 shutouts, two in the regular season over the Dallas Cowboys, and Atlanta Falcons, followed by the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams in the postseason.[34]. From 'The Fridge' to 'Bulldog,' a ranking of the 10 best nicknames in Chicago Bears history, along with a few honorable mentions. First, their 46 points broke the previous record of 38 that had been scored by the Los Angeles Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII and again by the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX. Yet for all his fury on the football field, Fencik was a mild-mannered man off it. He finished as the Bears' first or second leading tackler each of his last 11 seasons. Among the best nicknames of the current Bears are Maurice Douglass`. Miami allowed just one touchdown in Super Bowl VIII, as Miami's defense played a massive role in the Dolphins going a combined 32-2 during the '72-73 seasons. Dent and the Bears had been attempting to work out a contract extension, as his contract ran through the 1985 season, and paid him $90,000. 9. Dunsmore is president and co-owner of Graphx Connection, a printing company in Kansas City, Mo., and has lived with his family for several years in suburban Lenexa, Kan. His son Drake is a junior tight end at Northwestern. Otis Wilson was the Bears first-round pick of the 1980 NFL Draft. Ditka has since gone on record stating that his biggest regret of his career was not creating a scoring opportunity for Payton during the game. Take a look at some of the best photos of former Bears players wearing the team's orange jerseys from 2004-2011. After a standout career at the University of Illinois, Thomas played from 1982-88 with the Bears, was traded to Denver later in the 1988 season and retired following that season. While he saw action in just seven games in 1985, he started 13 games the following season, pulling in 23 receptions for 430 yards and two touchdowns. As of February, 1, 2021, this was the last time the Bears had two 100-yard rushers in a game.[20]. The selection of Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus in the first round of the 1965 draft remains the only time a team has selected two Hall of Fame players in the first round of one draft. And now, as the Bears celebrate the 25th anniversary of Chicago's only Super Bowl winners, ESPNChicago.com tracked down the players, coaches and support staff to see what they are doing today. [17], The Bears defeated the Packers on Monday Night Football in a decisive 237 victory, with Perry becoming a folk hero after scoring his first career touchdown on a 1-yard run.[18]. The 1985 Chicago Bears are one of the few teams to consistently challenge the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins for the unofficial title of the greatest NFL team of all time. Rich Cohen wrote the book, Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football. [21][22] Miami struck first when Marino hit Nat Moore for a 33-yard touchdown. Or ''Juice,'' O.J. 54: 1982 @Redskins, @SuperBowl XVII Champions #HTTR: #NFL100 Greatest Teams on @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/pHZUq8wlc4. "[30], The Bears defense dominated the game by limiting Rams running back Eric Dickerson to 46 yards, and holding quarterback Dieter Brock to 10 out of 31 completions for 66 passing yards. Now, he's known as Dr. Stefan G. Humphries, MD. After an illustrious playing career with the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants, the two-time Pro Bowl selection elected to remain in the game as a coach. The Colts marched the ball 72 yards to the Chicago one-yard line on the first drive of the game. The Monsters of the Midway is most widely known as the nickname for the National Football League's Chicago Bears.The moniker initially belonged to the University of Chicago Maroons football team, which was a reference to the Midway Plaisance on the South Side of Chicago.The nickname became associated with the Bears, who won six championships between 1932 and 1946. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Legion of Boom: Current Seahawks secondary led by Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas. Nicknamed "The Legend" for his lengthy career, Emrich pioneered weightlifting among NFL players early in his career, leading to bigger and bulkier yet faster athletes. Sadly, Gayle suffered a terrible tragedy Oct. 4, 2007, when girlfriend Rhoni Reuter and the couple's unborn child were shot and killed in their Deerfield home. His website (thespeeddr.com) touts this: "Ken Taylor will teach you and your muscles to be faster. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. The Broncos' 1977 AFC Championship run was fueled by an aggressive defense that boasted five Pro Bowlers: defensive end Lyle Alzado, linebackers Randy Gradishar and Tom Jackson, cornerback Louis Wright and safety Bill Thompson. Nicknames For Bears Brock Redman Hempstead Honey Lahey Washington Mendez Bears Lee Hayes Charles Bears Chase Bears Theodore Patrick Honey Jr. Haylo Haydie-Poo Haydo Mellissippi Server Bears Isidore diol Bears Julien Alen Bears Rome Bears Vincent Ice cream Ice apple Reid Bears Ross Chandler Bears Adrian Honey Alexander Jude Jace Adonis Bears : Jim Dooley (Offensive Consultant), Ted Plumb (Receivers) and Dick Stanfel (Offensive Line), Secretary of the Board of Directors: Virginia Halas McCaskey, Training Camp: UW Platteville (Platteville, Wisconsin), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 2:31PM. The former University of Texas standout was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on July 17. This cut the lead to 10-9 and the Bears got the ball at midfield following the safety free kick. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and considered one of the greatest Bears of all time. Even though he was listed on the 1985 roster, he did not play because of injuries and eventually retired. He is expected to be one of the top candidates to start at fullback for the Nittany Lions this season. Like several teammates, Sanders was a rookie in 1985. Bart - This is a Hebrew name that means furrow. A father of six, Baschnagel also takes part in various NFL Charities events. The Bears won their first twelve games of the season before losing to the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. They may be under-represented in Canton, Ohio, but the Dolphins' "No Name" defense has a unique place in NFL history as the only unit that did not lose a game for an entire season. Duerson played with the Bears from 1983-1989. However, Mike Ditka lured Stanfel out of retirement to join him with the Saints for the second time in Stanfel's career. Friedman spent 21 years as director of video services, filming all games and practices with the Bears from 1974 to 1994 before leaving the team. Gayle played safety with the Bears from 1984 to '94, followed by a one-year stint with the San Diego Chargers in 1995 before retiring. Drafted by the Bears in 1982, he played for Baltimore/Indianapolis in 1983 and 1984 before being traded back to the Bears later that season. Dooley passed away in January 2008, one month shy of his 78th birthday. And you know how you are with your family. The 12-1 Bears hosted the 3-10 Colts and were 20-point favorites in Week 14. But 14 years . Anderson caught just four passes (including one for a touchdown) in two seasons in the NFL, both with the Bears. New England took the ensuing kickoff and ran one play before the first quarter ended, which resulted in positive yardage for the first time in the game (a 3-yard run by James). Page was flanked by fellow Hall of Famer Carl Eller, Jim Marshall and Gary Larsen. After the Bears won the Super Bowl in 1985, Buddy Ryan left to become the coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Consider: Broadway Joe Namath, Mean Joe Greene, Jack ''Hacksaw''. Wilson hosted his sixth annual Celebrity Golf Outing on Aug. 5 at Bolingbrook Golf Club for his 55-Alive initiative that promotes physical fitness and nutrition for at-risk youths in the Chicago area. William "the Refrigerator" Perry was brought on to score on offense, as he had done twice in the regular season. Michael McCaskey announced in April that he will retire at the end of the 2010 season. He spent one year with the L.A. (Schedule and Results), Playoffs:Won Divisional Round 21-0 vs. New York GiantsWon Conference Championship 24-0 vs. Los Angeles RamsWon Super Bowl 46-10 vs. New England Patriots, Other Notable Asst. A look behind the scenes during the recent photo shoot at Halas Hall for the 2018 season. The Bears had not allowed 31 points in one half since the 1972 season opener. No recent information could be found on Pete McGrane's whereabouts. The Rams' offense was the best show on any surface. Reynolds, Bubba Smith, Ed ''Too Tall'' Jones, Gene ''Big Daddy'' Lipscomb, Ted ''Mad Stork'' Hendricks. Led by the great Walter Payton, who ran for . He is retired, with the exception of taking part each year in the Texas vs.The Nation game. Plumb is recognized for saving Ryan's life in 1990 when, at dinner, Ryan started choking on a pork chop. The Bears were first in scoring defense, allowing only 198 points in the regular season with an average of allowing only 12.4 points/game, as well as scoring more points than given up. . On the Patriots' ensuing drive, Dent forced running back Craig James to fumble, which was recovered by linebacker Mike Singletary at the 13-yard line. Both of those records would stand until Super Bowl XXIV in New Orleans four years later, when the 49ers defeated the Denver Broncos by 45 points, 5510. Humphries is medical director at St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute in Spokane, Wash. "Mongo" was never conventional as a player, and he certainly hasn't been so in retirement. . Nov. 28, 1964. He is the longest-serving coach (now at 21 years) of any sport in school history. The former Ohio State standout played 10 seasons with the Bears. All Rights Reserved. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. 85 bears, chicago art, bear down, monsters of the midway, illinois, sports, champion, retro, vintage, sports nicknames, throwback, touchdown, damgood, damgoodgame . After the Patriots received the second half opening kickoff, they managed to get one first down, but then had to punt after Grogan was sacked twice. He is a successful businessman in his native Texas. But the Bears defense dominated New England for the rest of the game, forcing another fumble, another interception, and defensive lineman Henry Waechter's sack on Grogan in the end zone for a safety to make the final score 4610. "There's nothing like it, nothing that I think could ever be replicated in professional sports. None combined complete domination with wild fun like the '85 Bears. at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California, Nine months after their humiliating defeat at the hands of the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, the Bears claimed their revenge by sacking Joe Montana a then-career high seven times. Richard Lamar Dent (born December 13, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL), primarily for the Chicago Bears. The nicknames, or in the case of the 2014 Bears, the lack of nicknames. The 1985 season was the Chicago Bears' 66th in the National Football League (NFL) and their fourth under head coach Mike Ditka. The Jets' lack of postseason success is what ultimately led to them not being higher on this list. Davenport then ran in, and the Dolphins led 2410. One of the best centers to ever play the game, Hilgenberg was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time first-team All-Pro. Without any delay, McMahon famously spearheaded a Bears comeback and victory, with the game being nicknamed The Viking Miracle.[14]. [15] Shortly after the game and the flight back to Chicago, Ditka was arrested for DWI. "Baring Their Teeth,", "Wilber Marshall's return of a fumble against the Los Angeles Rams is an enduring memory of the 1985 Chicago Bears ESPN Chicago", "Just how crazy good was the 1985 Chicago Bears defense? Led by two-time MVP Kurt Warner, 2000 league MVP Marshall Faulk, receivers Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Az-Zahir Hakim, and offensive lineman Orlando "Pancake" Pace, the Rams led the NFL in scoring each season from 1999-01. Record: 15-1-0, 1st in With future Hall of Famer Mike Singletary (#50) flanked by the supremely athletic Wilber Marshall (#58) and Otis Wilson (#55), the linebacking unit ranked in at #5 of the greatest linebacking corps in NFL history in NFL Top 10. Greatest Show on Turf: Explosive Rams teams led by Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner. 1985 Chicago Bears roster Jan 25, 2016 at 06:24 AM ChicagoBears.com takes a look back at the complete 1985 team roster that finished 15-1 in the regular season and moved on to win Super Bowl XX. Dan Hampton then tipped a Marino pass into the air, but it sailed downfield for 30 yards before landing in the hands of Clayton, who went into the end zone to make it 3817. We will promote things to help pay for everything. Richard Dent was called ''the Colonel'' in 1985 because, just as Col. Sanders and Kentucky Fried Chicken only do one thing, so Dent supposedly only knows how to rush the passer. Mike Ditka set the tone, as he told the team that this was their year. Since then, Frazier has built a lengthy coaching rsum, serving as head coach of north suburban Deerfield's Trinity International University (1988-96), defensive backs coach of the University of Illinois (1997-98) and the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2002), defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals (2003-04) and defensive backs coach of the Indianapolis Colts (2005-06). The '80s was a wild time in New York City, and the Jets of that era were an extension of that craziness. In a student vs teacher matchup, the Bears shut out the Cowboys, handing them the worst loss in franchise history, as well as the first time they were shut out in 15 years. Unfortunately for them, the Cowboys' defense was historically good that day, as Dallas forced eight turnovers in a 17-point win. Plumb performed the Heimlich maneuver. Fearsome Foursome: Dominant Rams defensive line of 1960s led by Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen. He is still immortalized at the infamous Fraser Street Deli in State College, Pa., with a sandwich named in his honor (a lox and cream cheese bagel). Becker, born in west suburban Aurora, was an offensive guard who played for the Bears from 1982-88 and again in 1990 (sandwiched around the 1989 season with the L.A. Rams). Marshall's story is indeed one of the sadder ones on the Bears. Or write about sports? Otis Wilson was the Bears first-round pick of the 1980 NFL Draft. He was a standout at the University of New Mexico, which is the alma mater of Bears star Brian Urlacher. Beauty. See the sights from the festivities in Canton Ohio as Brian Urlacher received his gold jacket, rode in the HOF parade, and spoke at his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 1; Cards have top 2, Best, worst, most interesting pick for all, Six things that experts got wrong about the NFL Draft, Undrafted free agent tracker: Team-by-team list of signings, How much Will Levis' fall to Round 2 will end up costing, Bills sign the Broncos' leading rusher from 2022, Washington offensive line, 1980s/early '90s. In 14 different games that season, the Bears allowed 14 points or less. Gentry spent his 11-season NFL career with the Bears from 1982-92. Hey! The nicknames spoke for their personalities: "Danimal . Earley remained in Chicago through the 1987 season before retiring back to Maplewood (a suburb of St. Paul) in his native Minnesota. ''Misleading'' because no one knows how fast he is or where he is on pass routes. The defense led the league in points allowed (198), yards allowed (4,135) and takeaways (54), a feat that wouldn't be accomplished again until the 2013 Seattle Seahawks defense. The song's popularity led to it being #41 on the US Billboard Hot 100,[40] and the song funded $300,000 in profit for the Chicago Community Trust to help needy families in Chicago with clothing, shelter, and food, hence Walter Payton's rap lyric: "now we're not doing this because we're greedy, the Bears are doing it to feed the needy". Frazier went out on top, retiring after the 1985 season, primarily becaues of a knee injury he suffered in the first half of the Super Bowl. Brownie - Can be a good name for wild brown bears. [25][26], The Bears' defense dominated the game by allowing only 32 rushing yards and sacked Giants quarterback Phil Simms for 60 yards. With an offense led by quarterback Jim McMahon and running back Walter Payton, the Bears ran roughshod over the league that year with a 15-1 regular season record and an easy 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots . [33] They were also second in scoring with 456 points (28.5 points/game), trailing only the Chargers that season. [4][5] In 2007, the 1985 Bears were ranked as the second greatest Super Bowl championship team on the NFL Network's documentary series America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions, ranking behind only the 1972 Dolphins. The success of Gastineau, Klecko, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam led New York to an AFC Championship Game appearance in 1982. [6][7] Other sources rate the 1985 Chicago Bears as the greatest NFL team ever. Top 10: Player Nicknames From 'The Fridge' to 'Bulldog,' a ranking of the 10 best nicknames in Chicago Bears history, along with a few honorable mentions. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. In a lot of ways the team's ability to enjoy themselves is what made the '85 Bears Super Bowl run so legendary, McMichael said. Bertie. But don't judge this Creighton team by its soft nickname the Bluejays will not be an easy out in the third round. . He ended his coaching career in 1990 with a brief one-year stint as defensive coordinator at Lake Forest College. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE 2014 BEARS? He spent five years with the Eagles as linebackers coach and returned to the Bears for three seasons as defensive coordinator (2004-06). What's the difference between the 85' Bears and the 2014 Bears (besides obviously winning the Super Bowl)? Da Coach. Today, Morrissey works as a financial consultant and public speaker and also spends time working with the Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps. 1 / 10 Legion of Boom: Current Seahawks secondary led by Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas. Like former teammate Bortz, "Hilgy" also had an unusually long playing career (13 years, including 11 with the Bears and single seasons in Cleveland and New Orleans). It just created a hailstorm of publicity. Such was life when playing against the greatest defensive line of all time. He signed with the Bears in the off-season as a free agent. Here are some of the grades they received. No, they weren't the '85 Bears. In the coldest game of the season, the Bears recorded their second straight shutout, and third straight game without giving up a touchdown, against Atlanta, with defensive lineman Henry Waechter sacking Bob Holly in the endzone for a safety. [42] At that time, Obama called them the greatest team ever; however, he called his own words into question when hosting the 1972 Dolphins, the only NFL team with a perfect season. Harris, Cole, Renfro and safety Charlie Waters were also part of the team's second Super Bowl win. FIFTH ROW: Fred Caito, Willie Gault (83), Brian Bashnagel (84), Dennis McKinnon (85), Brad Anderson (86), Emery Moorehead (87), Pat Dunsmore (88), Mitch Krenk (89), Richard Dent (95), Keith. A track and football star at Oregon State, the former Bears cornerback resides in Temecula, Calif., where he owns "The Speed Doctor," a private training service dedicated to improving speed and conditioning for athletes of all ages in several Southern California counties. Photos of Bears football during the years spent at Wrigley Field. Since retiring, Waechter and his wife have built a successful agricultural supply firm in Grand Island, Neb. 1 / 13 Linebacker, 1981-1992 2 / 13 Center/linebacker, 1920-1932 3 / 13 Quarterback, 1982-1988 4 / 13 Running back, 1965-1971 5 / 13 Tight end, 1961-1966Head coach, 1982-1992 6 / 13 He signed with the Bears in the off-season as a free agent. Find out more. Meanwhile, Chicago gained 236 yards and scored 23 points themselves. LaRue spent 16 years with the Bears as secondary coach. ", "1985 Bears-Dolphins on Monday Night Football: A perfect season evaporated", "Monday Night Football MNF's Greatest Games: Chicago-Miami 1985", "Taking a Look in the Bears History Book: Wilber Marshall, Part 1", "1985 Chicago Bears' dominated New York Giants in playoff opener, proving they were locked in for Super ending ESPN Chicago", Brennan, Christine. Do you have a sports website? Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Bears defeated the Lions 243, while Walter Payton and Matt Suhey ran for 105 and 102 yards, respectively. He is permanently disabled because of severe injuries to his spine, knees and shoulders that he sustained in his 12-year NFL career.